Fantasy Football IDP Waiver Wire Pickups: Week 17 (2025)

Week 16 is now in the books. Congratulations if you are reading this, as it likely means you made it to the finals in at least one of your leagues. There are numerous storylines to track after an exciting week of football, but perhaps the most significant is the overlooked IDP players who showed out in Week 16. There were a lot of defensive fireworks in Week 16, so there are more than a few intriguing names on the waiver wire in leagues of all sizes. Let’s take a look at some of the names that may be worth some of your free agent budget for the all important Week 17.

Week 17 IDP Waiver Wire

Linebacker

James Williams (LB/DB – TEN): 0% rostered on Yahoo
James Williams stepped in and stopped up in Week 16, making waves with eight solos, one assist, one sack, and one tackle for loss on 100 percent of the snaps. Williams, primarily a special teamer, got the tap with Cedric Gray (concussion) sidelined. Williams has registered 12 solos in his last two games, but had just two total in the rest of his games this season. Stash the linebacker where possible, as he looks like a must-start LB3 if Cedric Gray misses another game. Add and start Williams as a potential difference maker for a tasty Week 17 matchup against the New Orleans Saints.

Trenton Simpson (LB – BAL): 0% rostered on Yahoo
Trenton Simpson showed up in Week 15, tallying six solos, one assist, one sack, and two tackles for loss. Simpson saw an expanded role with Teddye Buchanan sidelined and could get another spot start in Week 17. Simpson is more of a flex play, even if he gets the start, but will offer more upside than most other options. Make the speculative add where possible ahead of a plus matchup against the Green Bay Packers in Week 17.

Drake Thomas (LB – SEA): 3% rostered on Yahoo
Drake Thomas got back on track in Week 16, racking up six solos and seven assists. Thomas flirted with top-15 value for most of his tenure as the Seahawks starter beside Ernest Jones, but slipped to low-end LB2 status after some down weeks. Mercifully, the talented linebacker looks like he is ready for another productive stretch after recording his first game with more than three solos since Week 12. Tap Thomas as a top-25 option for a plus Week 17 matchup against the Carolina Panthers.

Quincy Williams (LB – NYJ): 6% rostered on Yahoo
Quincy Williams stayed hot in Week 17, racking up six solos and five assists. Williams has been part of the top-15 conversation since reasserting himself in Week 10 and should be treated as such for a plus Week 17 matchup against the New England Patriots. There is no reason for Quincy to be available in any competitive leagues. Make the add where needed, even if it is just to block your opponent.

Matt Milano (LB – BUF): 2% rostered on Yahoo
Milano was excellent in Week 16, notching four solos, five assists, and one tackle for loss. The veteran followed up an elite splash week with his second spike week of the season and looks to have heated up at the right time for fantasy managers. Tap Milano as an LB3 option for a plus Week 17 matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles.

Defensive Line

Dre’Mont Jones (DE – BAL): 2% rostered on Yahoo
Dre’Mont showed up in Week 16, stacking two solos, one sack, one tackle for loss, and one fumble recovery. Jones is up to seven sacks on the season, but has just 2.5 sacks since joining the Ravens in Week 10. Tap Dre’Mont as a DL3 option for a plus Week 17 matchup against the Green Bay Packers. Make the add where needed.

Cameron Jordan (DE – NO): 1% rostered on Yahoo
Cam Jordan was at it again in Week 16, posting four solos, two sacks, and three tackles for loss. Jordan is up to an impressive 8.5 sacks, which ties him for his most sacks since 2022. The ageless veteran has registered a sack in four of his last six contests, totaling six sacks in that span. Fire Jordan up as an upside DL2 play for a tasty Week 17 matchup against the Tennessee Titans.

Kobie Turner (DT – LAR): 11% rostered on Yahoo
Kobie went off on Thursday night, stacking one solo, two assists, 1.5 sacks, one tackle for loss, one interception, and two passes usually. We don’t normally suggest players rostered in 10 percent or more of Yahoo leagues, but his rostership numbers suggest that he is still available in more than a few competitive leagues. Turner is up to seven sacks on the season, with 5.5 of them coming in four of his last five games. Fire Kobie up as a DL2 option for a plus Week 17 matchup against the Atlanta Falcons. Add him everywhere, even if it is just to pancake block your finals opponent.

Greg Rousseau (DE – BUF): 6% rostered on Yahoo
Rousseau showed up again in Week 16, tallying two solos, one assist, 2.5 sacks, and two tackles for loss. The Bills’ edge rusher is up to 6.5 sacks on the season, finally inching his way back to respectability. Rousseau’s 2025 IDP campaign had been one of the most disappointing from someone formerly considered one of the best at the position. Prior to Week 15, Rousseau had just 3.5 sacks despite playing 65 to 75 percent of the snaps every week. Now, with 3.5 sacks in his last two games, we can count the defensive end as part of the top-25 conversation for a plus matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles. Make the add where possible, even if it is just to block your opponent.

Chase Young (DE – NO): 1% rostered on Yahoo
Chase Young was at it again in Week 16, tallying one solo, one assist, one sack, one tackle for loss, and one fumble recovery. Now up to seven sacks in 10 games, Young is just one sack away from setting a new career high. Chase has registered a sack in four of his last five games and in six of his last eight. It has been an impressive resurgence for the former top prospect who may finally be getting his career on track after multiple injuries threatened to derail what could have been a Hall of Fame caliber run. Add Young everywhere ahead of a tantalizing Week 17 matchup against the Tennessee Titans.

Defensive Back

Jordan Poyer (S – BUF): 1% rostered on Yahoo
Poyer was excellent in Week 16, racking up six solos, five assists, 0.5 sacks, one tackle for loss, one interception, and one pass defended. Poyer has posted six solos in two of his last three games en route to recording plus outings in three of his last five. The veteran safety still has a DB4 floor but has been producing enough to count as part of the top-25 conversation for a plus Week 17 matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles.

Riley Moss (CB – DEN): 1% rostered on Yahoo
Riley Moss stepped up in Week 16, stacking five solos, one assist, one sack, two tackles for loss, and two passes defended. Moss has posted back-to-back spike weeks and is firmly back on the map as a top-36 option. Moss spent weeks as a locked-in DB2 play earlier in the season, but should be treated as an elite DB3 play for a tasty Week 17 matchup against the husk of the Kansas City Chiefs.

Tyler Nubin (S – NYG): 4% rostered on Yahoo
Nubin showed up again in Week 16, racking up four solos, two assists, one fumble recovery, one pass defended, and one touchdown. Nubin has shown flashes but has been inconsistent as an IDP option due to limited contributions in the peripherals. Now the author of season high fantasy outputs in consecutive weeks, Nubin can be tapped as a DB3/4 for championship week. Add and start him everywhere for a plus Week 17 matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders.

Nick Scott (S – CAR): 0% rostered on Yahoo
Scott was at it again in Week 16, shocking fantasy managers with nine solos and one assist. This is now three straight plus outings for Scott, who, for most of his career, was viewed as not having enough upside to even warrant a roster spot in IDP. Scott has obviously heated up for the Panthers and can be trusted as an elite DB3/flex where needed for a plus Week 17 matchup against the Seattle Seahawks.

Malachi Moore (S – NYJ): 1% rostered on Yahoo
Malachi Moore was excellent in Week 16, tallying five solos, three assists, and one forced fumble. Moore continues to ascend and has seemingly cemented himself as a DB2 option thanks to plus outings in three of his last five games. Malachi has been producing at a steady DB2 level and should be treated as such for a plus Week 17 matchup against the New England Patriots. Make the add wherever possible.

Raju Byfield is a featured writer for FantasyPros. For more from Raju, check out his profile and follow him @FantasyContext.